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Can Men Suffer from Female Pattern Baldness? - Thursday, February 19, 2009

Question:

Hi, I am a 24 year old male with no history of hereditary baldness. For about a year or two, I have been experiencing hair loss mainly right behind my hairline. Iin my research, it appears that I have a thinning pattern similar to female pattern baldness rather than male. This seems very strange to me and I'm a little freaked out by it. Does this ever happen? What could be the cause? I have seen a dermatologist and was told to take Rogaine and Propecia. My insurance didn't cover Propecia and since they are both permanent fixes, I have been hesitant to take them. Is this the right thing to do? I have gotten a thyroid test done, and my levels are fine. Also I don't want to take Rogaine foam, because my baldness is different than what it shows in the picture and it recommends not taking it. Any information would be great.

Answer:

It's not too uncommon for men to experience hair loss in a pattern similar to females. Conversely, it's also not unusual for females to experience a balding pattern similar to males. See the Norwood and Ludwig scale for typical genetic hair loss patterns.

Propecia and Rogaine really are your best chance of slowing down or stopping genetic balding from progressing further. Propecia and Rogaine can only legally report hair regrowth in the crown since tests approved by the FDA were for the crown only. However, several balding men have reported success with both treatments in areas other than the crown. These hair loss drugs are only effective as long as you continue to use them. Be sure to research and speak to your dermatologist about the benefits, limitations, and potential side effects of these drugs.

Bill (Falceros)
Associate Publisher/Editor